How to Prepare for a Lifestyle Session | Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC
Updated August 2021
Lifestyle sessions are an incredible way to document you and your family in the most authentic way possible! This is not a time for formal family portraits (although we can try to squeeze one in if you would like!), this is a time to be yourself and HAVE FUN!
These sessions are designed to tell a story; to show you in real life!
The Goal: Tell Your Story
Whether your lifestyle session is just you and your partner, you and your kids, or the whole family, there are small things you can do to prepare yourself and your home for your session that will allow us to make the most of our time together!
Firstly, planning some sort of activity can help ease nerves and also give everyone something to do. Activities can be simple such as making breakfast, baking cookies, making coffee, painting, reading your favorite books, or, if one or all of you play an instrument, break it out!
If your lifestyle session is oriented towards newborn portraits, then we can capture things like diaper changes, feedings, bath time, and of course SNUGGLES!
Preparing Your Space
Again, these sessions are designed to be authentic so your space as-is is perfectly fine!
If you're worried about clutter, fret no more! My experience with real estate photography taught me that every room has an insane amount of hiding space and you'd be surprised how moving items out of sight can transform it. You wouldn't believe how much clutter can fit inside a bathtub behind a shower curtain or on the other side of a kitchen island so seriously, don't worry about it. We can move it out of the way if you wish but it also probably isn't as bad as you're thinking. Ease up on yourself!
One way to truly make your space photo-ready is to be mindful of anything large and colorful. Bold, bright colors on large items like curtains, bedspreads, or couches can throw color casts on skin and even post processing has its limits. When possible, working in rooms with whites and neutrals will offer the most flattering lighting and colors so be sure to seek out these locations within your home!
The main thing we will want to be mindful of when it comes to your space is LIGHTING!! Unlike outdoor sessions that I prefer to time for Golden Hour, indoor sessions are totally different. We will want to plan for a time of day when the lighting is the strongest in the room(s) in which you are wanting to work. The stronger the light, the better! We can always tone it down but we can't turn up the sun so keep an eye out for that perfect, bright light and we will plan around it.
And don't worry, I have plenty of lighting equipment so we can supplement as needed! Sometimes a cloudy day will show up on our session (Murphy's Law, right!?) or the best light comes in at noon when everyone is at school or at work, so we can always plan for a time that works better for everyone and sacrifice that natural light. We've got this!
What to Wear
Dress comfortably!
What makes you feel amazing? What allows you to move around?
If you want to dress like you would for formal family portraits, then absolutely do that!
These sessions are a time to wear what you like most so if you all want to dress in your pajamas and snuggle on the couch with your books, then that's what you should do!
I know it's a lot easier said than done when it comes to wearing what you like most so if you're needing a few tips, I will list them below but they are merely suggestions and are not rules by any means. I genuinely want to see you in something that you love, no matter what it is!
- Avoid busy patterns as they can sometimes become distracting
- Coordinate your colors with your partner/family - same tones and complimentary colors will pull you together
- Whites and pastels photograph gorgeously, especially for newborns and families with children. Avoiding vibrant colors when possible is always a good idea because they reflect light poorly and can ruin skin tones in photographs.
- Coordinate your colors with your home - if your home is bright and your decor includes light colors like whites and pastels, then wearing like-colors (think whites, khakis, or light pinks/greens/blues) will look stunning in-camera. If your home is dark and bold, darker clothes (think maroons, forest greens, navys) will look best in-camera.
- Make sure your clothing makes sense with your overall theme. For example, if we are photographing you in the kitchen baking and decorating cookies, wearing a suit or formal dress may look a bit odd (but if that is your jam, I am here for it!)
Relax and SMILE!
This is a time to have fun!
If your session involves children, they're probably going to act out a bit because it's always a bit hectic when a new person comes into their space. And plus, let's face it, when you need them to be calm the most is usually when they'll be the most hyper - don't worry! As a mother, I completely understand this and I am totally fine with following them around and working with them. All you need to worry about is laughing and smiling for the camera! The last thing we'll want to have is the one perfect shot of your child smiling and sitting still with everyone else in the background frowning! So really, I will never mind a wild child - just focus on enjoying yourself and having fun with your partner and family!
Activity Ideas - Indoors
- Brushing Teeth
- Doing Laundry (or faking it!)
- Cleaning - sweeping, mopping, etc.
- Working Out Together
- Dancing
- Caring for Pets
- Building Something
- Decorating
- Making the Bed
- Pillow Fight
- Building a Fort
- Playing Your Favorite Games
- Milk Bath or Fruit Bath
Activity Ideas - Outdoors
- Swimming
- Bubbles
- Chalk
- Planting a Garden
- Going on a Nature Walk
- Walking the Dog
- Flying Kites
- Roasting Marshmallows over a Fire
- Fishing
- Playing with the Hose or a Sprinkler
- Sparklers/Fountain Fireworks (when and where legally permitted)
- Raking Leaves
- Playing in a Creek
Now it's time to book your lifestyle session of your own!! To get in touch and learn more about Portrait Collections with Brittany Lynn Imagery, you can email me at [email protected]!
What are some of your ideas for activities or ways to prepare yourself and your space for a lifestyle session? I know I left some things out that could really help folks get in tip-top shape for their upcoming lifestyle sessions!
